Topology and Algebras Workshop Philippines 2026 (TAWPh2026) 

The international mathematics workshop entitled “Topology and Algebras Workshop Philippines 2026 (TAWPh2026)” was successfully held at Holy Name University (HNU) in Tagbilaran City, Philippines, from January 5 to 11, 2026.

Focused on advanced research in topology and algebra, TAWPh2026 brought together mathematics experts from leading universities around the world, including the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom), the Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland), the University of Utah and the University of Virginia (United States), Jadavpur University (India), and Blekinge Institute of Technology and Linnaeus University (Sweden).

The workshop was attended by 60 participants, including professors, researchers, and students from various Philippine universities, as well as international participants from India and Indonesia. This underscored the strong global reach of the event.

TAWPh2026 was organized by Dr. Alfilgen Sebandal, Dr. Monika Kudlinska, Dr. Mark Pengitore, and Dr. Wolfgang Bock. The workshop also marked the culmination of the Mentorship Program, an initiative designed to connect international experts with students during their graduate studies, providing guidance on research problems, methodologies, and scholarly development. The program is implemented through the online platform Mentis, which was also developed by the same group of organizers.

Through TAWPh2026, at least six Filipino students were paired with international mentors for graduate-level research supervision. The Mentorship Program, facilitated by Mentis, continues beyond the workshop and has already facilitated six successful international mentorship outcomes involving Filipino students.

TAWPh2026 was co-organized by Linnaeus University in Sweden, along with the following Philippine institutions: Holy Name University, Central Mindanao University, University of the Philippines Diliman, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, and the Mathematical Society of the Philippines Regions 10, 12, and BARMM. The event was also supported by the Research Center for Theoretical Physics and the Central Visayan Institute Foundation, a recognized academic institution and a source of pride for Bohol for hosting international events and advancing research in mathematics, physics, and astrophysics.

In addition to funding provided by the organizing institutions, the workshop was made possible through support from the Mathematical Society of the Philippines and the University of the Philippines Office for International Linkages, as well as prestigious international funding organizations, including the K-Theory Foundation and the European Mathematical Society. This support reflects the high international standing and academic significance of TAWPh2026.

“In three to five years, I envision the Philippines having a stronger representation in the global mathematics community,” said Dr. Sebandal, head of the TAWPh2026 organizing committee and lead developer of the Mentis platform.

Building on the success of TAWPh2026, a potential academic partnership between Holy Name University and Linnaeus University (Sweden) is currently being developed. Plans are also underway for TAWPh2028, which is set to be hosted in Iloilo City.